Time Stands Still
by SassyRaydorGirl
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: "Eight years...eight years and that's all you have to say?"


**I'd ran out of ideas for a story and found some helpful prompts over on Tumblr to help me, this was one of them.**

" **Eight years….eight years and that's all you have to say?"**

…

 **Time Stands Still**

…

It was just coming up for 1pm as Maggie typed away on her computer, adding some additional information to her latest article for The Echo, Olly was sitting at his desk in front of her, printing off his completed work before turning his chair around to watch Maggie, a smile on his face.

"Well this has to be a first." He grinned.

"What's that then petal?"

"I'm actually finished a piece before you?"

Maggie stopped typing before looking up at Olly and smiling.

"It shows you're finally beginning to take the job seriously, which I for one am very grateful for."

"Well I have a good teacher."

"What are you after?" Maggie laughed.

"Nothing, okay there is something?"

"Go on."

"I need to leave early tonight, I have this date."

"Oh, anyone I know."

"The new waitress at the hotel, her name's Haley."

"And let me guess, you offered to show her around."

"I thought it was the friendly thing to do…so, can I?"

"Oh why not, one of us might as well have some fun tonight, doesn't look like I'll be going anywhere any time soon."

"Thanks Maggie."

"You're welcome petal; make a start on the layouts for me would you."

"Sure."

…

A couple of hours had passed; Maggie's eyes were beginning to falter after staring at the screen for so long. Olly came over, placing a cup of coffee down in front of her.

"Have you had any lunch yet?" He asked.

"Far too busy Olly."

"You're always going on at me about skipping meals and here you are doing the same thing."

"Do as I say not as I do petal."

"Okay fine but…it's not good for you."

"I don't need a mother Olly, get back to work would you please."

Maggie got up and made her way over to the front counter to grab some more printer paper to finish off her article, she went over to the printer and put in the paper before turning to Olly to ask him to press finish on her computer but stopped when she heard the door to The Echo opening and closing behind her, she turned around ready to speak and was stopped short when she saw who had walked in.

"Hello Maggie."

Maggie froze on the spot, staring at the woman who had walked in, Olly stopped what he was doing, looking over at the two women and suddenly feeling the tension that filled the room.

"How are you Maggie?"

Maggie still didn't speak as Olly got up and came over to introduce himself.

"Hey, I'm Oliver Stevens, Olly."

"Hello Olly, I'm Jocelyn Knight, lawyer. I used to live around here."

"Yes, a very long time ago." Maggie added.

Jocelyn and Olly heard the anger that appeared in Maggie's voice, something that Olly hadn't witnessed very often since he began working with her.

"Are you just here on business then or…." Olly began

"No actually, I've just moved back to the area."

Maggie's head shot up at the last part, her face showing surprise, which didn't go unnoticed by Jocelyn.

"You've moved back?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Personal reasons, mum's not very well and I thought it better to take care of her myself."

"I see."

"I was wondering if you had some time to talk."

"Oh, well I'm very busy Jocelyn, I've got an article I need to get out by tonight and I…"

"I can finish it off for you; you haven't had lunch yet…go, have fun." Olly replied.

Maggie didn't have any other excuse and saw the way Jocelyn smiled at her, almost pleading in her eyes.

"Very well, we'll be down the road if you need me."

"No worries, enjoy your lunch.

…

Maggie grabbed a sandwich from the local deli and walked along the beach with Jocelyn, the awkward silences starting to get to Jocelyn.

"Look, I know I've surprised you by just turning up like this Maggie."

"Surprised…that's an understatement."

"I probably ought to have called first."

"How bad is you mum?"

"Pretty bad, she doesn't even recognise me."

Maggie put her sandwich in her bag before turning to Jocelyn who looked sad.

"I'm sorry about your mother, that kind of thing's never easy."

"No, no it's not. Still, we just get on with it don't we. It's what women do best."

"I should probably get back; I don't want to leave Olly to his own devices for too long."

Maggie got ready to walk away but was stopped when Jocelyn grabbed hold of her wrist, forcing her to stay. She turned back to see regret in Jocelyn's eyes.

"I don't know what to say to you Maggie, I had so many scenarios playing around in my head when I was driving back to Broadchurch, all the things I would say to you but seeing you now. I can't seem to string two sentences together, I'm sorry."

"Eight years…eight years Jocelyn and that's all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"How about starting with why you just walked away, you never mentioned once to me about leaving, I turn up at your house one morning to be told by that bloody housekeeper that you'd moved away and it was unlikely you'd be back."

"I know I…"

"I called you time and time again, I wrote to you, I emailed, text and nothing. You don't get to come back here and act as though nothing happened."

"That's not what I'm doing."

"Really, well that's not how I see it. I have to go…"

"I was scared alright."

Maggie stopped walking, turning back to see Jocelyn shrug her shoulders.

"I was scared, I know it sounds pathetic but it's true. I didn't know how to deal with my feelings."

"So your answer was to walk away, did you give any consideration to how I would feel or did you just not give a shit."

"Maggie…"

"Oh I'm sorry, am I being rude. Well I apologise but the woman I was in love with left me without any explanation and turns up again eight years later and expects me to welcome her back with open arms, well I'm sorry lovelie but I can't do that. I'm not like you, I can't just shut away my feelings and pretend that I…"

Jocelyn stood by the water, listening to Maggie yell at her. She knew she deserved everything she was getting from Maggie in that moment but this wasn't how she had planned on reconnecting with her. As Maggie continued to yell at her, Jocelyn could hear Maggie's voice breaking with all the emotions that were coming out of her. Jocelyn didn't know what to do, so she took matters in to her own hands, stepping in to Maggie's space, wrapping her arms around Maggie's waist and kissing her to silence her. She felt Maggie tense in her arms for a moment before the other woman's arms came around Jocelyn. They remained in the moment a little while longer before they parted for breath, Maggie resting her forehead against Jocelyn's.

"I've missed you so much." She whispered.

"I missed you too, I know I have so much to make up for Maggie but I want too. I've wasted so many years without you because I was too afraid to tell people that I was in love with a woman, with you and I will always regret that."

"So you came back for me?"

"You were an added bonus, when I got the call that mum was sick and that she wasn't going to recover, of course I was upset but then my mind drifted to you and I began to wonder if perhaps this was my second chance, to make things right with you. Hoping there might be a chance for us."

Maggie stepped back, her hand going to Jocelyn's wrist, gripping it tightly.

"And is this really what you want, me…us? Are you willing to tell everyone that you're in love with me?"

"I'm not afraid anymore Maggie, the truth is I don't think I really had anything to be afraid of before, I was just simply…a coward and because of that, I missed out on you. All I can do now, is hope that you are willing to let me make it up to you, for all the years wasted."

Maggie held Jocelyn's face in her hands, before she leaned in and kissed the other woman, smiling as she pulled back.

"I'm still so angry at you, and I'm going to need some time, but I do love Jocelyn, I never stopped. There's never been anyone else since the day you left, you and I…that's all I ever wanted and still do. I don't want to ever lose you again."

"You won't, I promise."

Maggie wiped tears from her cheeks, running a hand through her hair before looking at her watch.

"Well, I really need to get back and make sure Olly hasn't burned the pace to the ground."

"Of course, have dinner with me tonight, 7pm?"

"I'll see you then."

Jocelyn smiled as she watched the love of her life walk back down the beach, relief washing over her, all her fears finally gone.

…

-Fin


End file.
